Church, rise up and evangelize!

Chapter 26 in the Book of Acts beginning with verse 14. I don't know your version, I am reading from the old Reina Valera version and the Editors of my Bible begin this Biblical portion with the title: Paul recounts his conversion. How many of us have a Bible that has a title like that? And you will recognize, especially those who have been in the Lord for a while or those who have been reading the Book of Acts, are going to know this story.

This story is told quite a few times in the Book of Acts, and for a reason. And those who don't know her; Paul is on his way to Damascus. At that time I knew him as Saul. He was an enemy of the truth, an enemy of Christians, his mission in life was to end everything that was Christian. He would go to Damascus with letters of authority to arrest, detain, and even throughout the people he arrested and detained, it was understood that these people: men, women, young people, children were going to kill him, they were going to stone him.

Well, he was going to Damascus with the purpose of killing these people and suddenly at noon this light from Heaven appears to him. He knocks him off his horse, those around him see this same light. This shocked Paul and he recounts in this story –in verse 14-: 'And having all of us fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting them? Dura it is your thing to kick against the goads." And then I said: "Who are you, sir?" and the Lord said to him, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting."

“But get up and stand on your feet because for this I have appeared to you, to make you a minister and witness of the things that you have seen and of those in which I will appear to you. Delivering from your people and from the Gentiles to whom I am now sending you.” And everyone say: What for? "So that you open their eyes." So that? "That they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God." So that? "That they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me."

Glory to God. Let's go to the presence of the Lord, my brothers. Lord, we thank you for the time in which you have allowed us to live. Thank you, Lord, that You have allowed us to be born and live to see what our eyes… “Blessed are the eyes that see”, which will see what You have prepared for Your church at this time. And for this region. Lord, blow on this word. We want to see transformation of lives. Sir, and this building that is being erected as a beacon of light in this neighborhood.

Father, we want that from now on You are calling hearts and from now on this place is full of entire families that at the same time come to know You as King and Lord, kneeling there seeking Your face. Father, starting from today, from this afternoon, here blow on this Word. Revive it, Lord. Father, may the power of the truth of Your salvation, Jesus, flood our hearts and may You be exalted above all flesh, Jesus. In the name of Jesus, amen.

My brothers, this is the story of Paul's conversion but from now on I tell you my brothers, when reading this charge that the Lord shares with Paul, Paul never forgot what the Lord said to him on that path. Paul never forgot the mission that the Lord delegated to him. My brothers, although those words were addressed to Paul, we can take freedom today and be very sure that the Lord is also directing the same mission, he is delegating the same charge to us as his church.

Paul shared this story, over and over again and shared it with his disciples; with Titus, with Timothy, this became their mission and the reason they ministered. And for generations, the church lived to thank the heart of Jesus, to fulfill the commission of Jesus. And my brothers, I thank the Lord for the times in which we are living. As Pastor Gregory shared, next week is going to be an extraordinary week.

A group of missionaries is coming, trained, my brothers to work specifically with children. And they are missionaries that the Lord has brought to Boston, has brought to this city and they chose the León de Judá Congregation, thank God, from as many Congregations they could choose in this city. All very fit, all anointed with the Holy Spirit. Glory to the Lord that they contacted this Church, Pastor Gregory and our neighborhood for this work of evangelism seeing some of the darkest corners of this city: Ramsey Park, Villa Victoria, the streets that surround us.

And there they will be ministering directly to children and their parents. And I ask the Lord that next Friday, this humble temple, this humble place is full of people who have no idea how they got here, with their children hearing the Word of God, perhaps for the first time. And when they came, and my brothers, they have done prayer walks, they have distributed pamphlets, we are still praying, we want your prayers. But they come for this purpose.

If that wasn't enough... last Friday I had the privilege of sharing in a meeting with Pastor Sámano, Pastor Gilberto here from the León Judá Congregation and Pastor Joshua Malten who is the Pastor who runs the Teen Challenge operation, the Teen Challenge ministry here in Boston. I do not doubt if that is not Pastor Sámano, right now, saying Amen, calling me, Glory to God. Pastor Samano and I, Pastor Joshua came out of there like children, smiling.

Imagine, three Pentecostal Pastors, talking about evangelism in Boston and imagining ways for hundreds of men from our church to collaborate with Teen Challenge. Imagine! Men from our church's men's ministry walking these streets accompanied by brigades from Teen Challenge, taken possession of Blackstone Park; taking possession of Ramsey Park and there announcing the Word of God. And by the way on July 31, the last Saturday of this month, there will be a big rally also sponsored by Teen Challenge in Ramsey Park.

And we are already praying that the Lord will perform miracles of evangelism here. The Lord has called us to evangelize. The Lord has called us to share his Word with the same reasons that the Lord shares it with Paul. He says "You know? I'm going to get you out of your town. I am going to rescue you from among them to send you back to them and to the Gentiles. I'm going to send you to them." For what? It's a series of "For what?" But that series of "For what" ends in this reality.

Let's see if we agree? When I see that, the Lord is saying to Paul "I am sending you to your people" and we all have a people, we have brothers, we have parents, we have colleagues at work, we have husbands, wives, we have children, we have loved ones. dear ones "To your people and to the Gentiles." The unknown people around you who are perhaps even hostile to the gospel. There I have sent you to them for one reason and one reason only: so that they may be transformed.

In other words, to change the culture. To create among them a culture that is in tune with the heart and desire of Jesus Christ. So that the apostolic prayer of Jesus, the Kingdom of God, is established on Earth. And that, my brothers, at least in this church, that is what we mean when we use the word "revival." To see around us a culture that resembles the heart of God, a culture that is in tune with the purposes of Christ for this area, for this city.

Brothers, I confess to you that there is indeed a theological debate these days. There are some brothers who at least identify themselves as evangelicals but have still questioned the need to evangelize. And don't be surprised if you hear or read messages like that, it's okay. And they are preached by brothers that I know them, I love them, I would receive a word from them apart from this. Good men and women of God. Good ministries, the Lord uses you. I do not doubt this.

But in this we have a difference, I think, key. Because in these messages that some would call 'The emerging church movement' it is preached that perhaps the call of the church is not to change the culture, that this is too confrontational and radical. Perhaps what the Lord prefers is for the church to be woven into the culture. In other words, and it is true, we are in this world even though we are not of this world; We are not going to detach ourselves from this world. But the difference is in this: for what purpose?

And they would say: maybe the purpose is to coexist. How many have not yet seen that poster in Cambridge, in Somerville and here? “Coexist” And maybe people will reach God through osmosis, through good testimonies and good works. That's ok. Yes, brothers, our words without a testimony that supports them are worthless. But I wish, brothers, that it were as easy as that. What's more, I cannot read the Word of God and I cannot read this Word without clearly seeing that whether we want it or not, the Gospel is confrontational.

The Gospel is direct. There is no debate in the Word about this. The Lord used this Word "I am sending you so that they may be converted." Those are very direct words, there is no debate in the Word. And you know what? There is also no debate in the streets, nor is there a debate in the town that surrounds us. We shared this recently. Not long ago the Mayor of the city together with the commissioner of the City Police Department, together with the Department of Health, together with Representatives of the Boston School System. Go figure.

All those people gathered in a meeting at the Central Headquarters of the Police Department and among them Pastors. Very specifically Pastors. Pastors of churches around us, ministers. And you hear these Directors of these agencies, these politicians without any problem, without any doubt saying to the church 'Where have you been?' They, heathens, telling us 'Stand up, Stand up' that there are 14-year-olds -true story- killing each other for a look they perceive to be inappropriate at a bus stop in Boston. That happened three weeks ago.

And they brought together the Pastors, the ministers of this city with an incredible message: “We need you. Get out on the streets, do what you do. They haven't done it for a long time. Get out!" As a director of a Non-Profit Agency said: 'The culture' –said by a person who is not a Christian- if there is debate among Christians, among the people around us, there is no more debate. She says: "The culture has to change."

My brethren, they are saying, "Church, rise up and stand on your feet." And this is what's sad because, frankly, after many years of these same people telling us "Don't pray in the name of that name. Don't preach in that name. Please! Let's not coexist." Now that we're in a bind they say : "Come out in the name of Jesus. Say 'Father, Son and the Holy Spirit if you want'. Go. Do what you have to do. You know what you have to do."

Let's not talk anymore: Walk, walk! The problem is that after many years, a church, I saw this among these ministers, they don't even know how to start. How do you do this? How do you do that? I kind of remember once until evangelizing. But a cowering church after many years is now taking to the streets again. Jesus what do we do? I see Jesus' response here. I hear the Lord telling us: “Lion of Judah arise. Lion of Judah stand on your feet". But Lord, to do what? What do I say?

You are a witness, be your witness, you are a minister. Be your witness of what I have revealed to you. Brothers, the Word declares that some of us are called Pastors, others evangelists, others prophets, others teachers. But, my brothers, apart from your call, all of us are called to be witnesses of Jesus Christ. You are a witness of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, one cannot be a second-hand witness. In itself, evangelizing means that we are not talking about something that we heard from somewhere else, or that we read once or that someone told us.

Witnessing involves a personal experience that you had. You had this experience with a Christ who came to meet you on the road and you are reporting, however primitive it may be, however simple it may be, you are reporting what you saw, what you heard, what you felt, what you experienced in his presence. You are telling the story of that Jesus in front of whom you knelt in a moment of crisis and that is your story. That is your story, my brother.

Pablo never forgot his story. Look what a thing As you study the Book of Acts, you will see that the story of Paul's conversion you read in Acts Chapter 9 but you discover that it is also related in Acts Chapter 22. Paul took advantage of the moment when he was before the Sanhedrin, in Acts Chapter 22. At that moment of his legal defense where he was in question whether it was to live or die, he took advantage of that moment to share this story related practically word for word in the same way in which it is related in Acts Chapter 9.

Now, in Acts Chapter 26, in front of King Agrippa, he is sharing the same story. Jesus convinced. What does this tell you? First of all, it tells me that of all the things that Paul experienced in his life, this had an impact on him and he never forgot it. This is a man who was able to preach the way he wanted to preach. A man trained in both Greek and Roman culture as well as steeped in the Scriptures. The man could preach on the topic he wanted to preach but he always, always, always returned to his story.

Because? My brothers, they may debate theology, but no one, no one can deny your story. No one can deny what Jesus did for you. No one can erase the facts that God did for you. I was walking along the road, like Paul, for the moment the Lord illuminated me with his light. I was wrong and walking on a path that was not going well and for the moment the Lord converted me, he changed my path. It filled my life with peace. And he gave me meaning, he forgave me my sins, he healed my wounds, he healed my relationships, he opened my eyes.

It restored my sense of laughter and peace. I have an indescribable peace, that was done one day with Christ. And just as Jesus indelibly has the marks of his cross on his hands and feet, you also have your marks and the Lord has allowed it to be so. you know? I'm not perfect, but one day, the Lord delivered me from this. One day the Lord healed me of this. Is powerfull. Your history. Brothers who are baptized this Saturday, each one of you, each one of you, without exception, each one of you has his story.

And don't forget what God, what Jesus has done for you. There is power in that story that the Lord has planted in you. And we know that's dynamic. The Lord tells Paul “It is not merely what I have revealed to you. But in the different ways I will appear to you.” And while you are walking in the Lord and enjoying His Word, knowing Him, obeying Him, integrating with Him, haven't you seen a revelation or two from the Lord along the way? Have you seen how the Lord answered your prayer at the moment you were delivered to what you were going to do?

In the moment of trouble and "boom" the Lord appeared with his provision and salvation. How many here have a testimony like this? How many here? The Lord is my provision. The Lord is my healing, the Lord heard my prayer. This poor man cried out and the Lord inclined his ear and heard my cry and rescued me from the miry lake. That is your testimony and how you never need that testimony. We need your story. That story of salvation and rescue is needed. Don't archive it. Don't archive it. Don't forget about that.

With each passing day, if it is merely to thank God, don't forget what He has done for you. Because? Because it is not a small thing to which the Lord has called us. If this church is being effective in its call of evangelism, what the Lord has commanded us to do, the objectives, the outcomes, the results that the Lord expects from the church is not a small thing. The Lord, his heart, breaks to see this culture and this society and He shares that with Paul.

He opens his heart to Paul and leaves him at least these three objectives, these three goals. It is not a small thing. The first thing He says to Paul is this: “I am sending you to be a witness, so that you can tell them what you see right now. So that you can share what you heard from me." For what? And the first thing He says in verse 18 is: "So that they may open their eyes." See? So that they may open their eyes. So that they may be converted from darkness to light.' Brethren, the blind can't tell the difference between the darkness and the light. They need someone to give, someone who can tell the difference between the darkness and the light.

They need someone who can help them, someone who can guide them like Ananias, who can put a hand on them so that the scale falls from their eyes and so that they can see again. So that they see the light. you know? The Lord warned his church by speaking to us through the years. Early on, as the Sermon on the Mount begins, one of the Lord's first warnings is this: 'You are the light of the world.' You. Matthew 5:14. A city settled on a hill cannot be hidden.

Interesting history note. History of New England. Governor Jonathan Winthrope even before disembarking, in the year 1630, his ship "The Arabela" was still anchored in Boston Harbor and he had not even gone down. Even before leaving his cabin, alone with the Lord, he wrote a covenant. He made this statement and said to the Lord: “Lord, that peninsula where we are going” – Boston was not very promising in those days. Boston was only a one and a half mile peninsula. Through the years we have been adding ground, it has grown. God has blessed Boston.

Selami and Boston were founded in the same year. They realize? And before he disembarked to bring that people into this forest full of dangers and much struggle and work, he made this promise to the Lord. He told him, "Lord, this city, which doesn't even exist, will be a light set on a hill." You can find those words, do you know where? On a bronze plaque on a gate in front of the Boston Common. Between the Boston Common and the State House as if it were an eternal and cold testimony.

To the State House, to the government of Massachusetts, to the Governor and the Senators and those who run this country, this state. That bronze tablet testifies to that silence even now: this city is a mountain, it is a light, a city founded on a mountain for that purpose. That is our heritage my brothers. And the Lord warns us: 'If that does not happen, if a light is turned on and it is placed under a bushel, the light will not turn on, but on the lampstand and it gives light to all who are in the house.'

And that is what has happened in Boston, my brothers. The Church in Boston, with a capital “i”, the Church of Jesus Christ in Boston has hidden its light under a bushel and that has caused a darkness that has palpably descended on Boston. No one can distinguish between darkness and light. There is no way to distinguish. Who would think of a 14-year-old killing to kill? That did not happen 10 or 20 years ago. That is new. Because? Because there is no moral axis.

The Lord sees that young man and I am sure that if we were to seek the opinion of Jesus: that boy is a sheep without a shepherd. Without someone telling him: “young man, this is light, this is darkness. This is life, this is death. In Gloucester, who has seen this? A group of girls making a pact to see which of these high school girls will get pregnant first. Why do you think we need "Worth the Wait"? Why do you think we need a children's ministry?

Why do you think a youth ministry is needed? Where is the light there? There is no credibility. Even the same teachers who try to tell you the light of truth cannot do it. Because it is clear, it is evident, that even they lack light and truth. Blind leading the blind. Blind raising our children. Blind raising our youth.

Blind offering themselves as mentors to our young people without being able to distinguish the light from the darkness. O Samuel! What is the light? My friend, my friend, here it is.

"Lamp is to my feet, your word and light to my path." The word of God revealed by the Holy Spirit, breathed upon it so that it is a living and effective word, that is the light and that is why my brothers, the Lord insists and asks. If we are going to get into this terrain, He insists that we live, too, clinging unconditionally to the light of the Lord. That is why we find ourselves in the entanglements that we find ourselves in, my brothers.

So in a community, surrounded by a community that is opposed to many of the very things that we stand for, we believe that marriage - this is rare here in Massachusetts now - as it is biblically between a man and a woman. Forty years ago, no problem, today we are radicals. Today that is darkness. Today we are exceptional. But if we want to be the people capable of leading others we have to have our lamps burning and oil in our lamps.

As the Apostle Peter declares in his First Letter –First Peter, chapter 2 verse 9, many of us know it by heart- 'But you are a chosen lineage, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired by God so that you may announce the virtues of the one who called you - where did he call you from? Where did he get you from? and where did he put you?- in his admirable light'. To announce the virtues of the one who brought me out, the one who brought me out of darkness. His virtues.

I don't know what you have heard from God, but I know him, do you know him? I know Him because He spoke this morning. He is good, He is kind, He is generous, He is merciful. I don't know what opinion you have. I know him, I can tell you firsthand: He listens to the prayer of the just. He is good, He is powerful. He can do miracles in your life if you give him the chance. Announce virtues of a God who brought us out of darkness.

Don't forget your shadows. Don't forget the darkness. Not to live there but so that you never, never, never, never forget that you once knew darkness, that once you had no answer, that once, you were like them, you had no one to guide you, that once you had no one to pray to; that once you did not know the difference between good and bad, darkness and light, life and truth. And now we take for granted, we are in his admirable light.

That's what Jesus did with you! He did it with you! That's a big deal, my brother. Sure, there's more to do! There is work to do! But, my God! How good to be in the admirable light! And that you have. You have it! Your home has it, your children have it, your grandchildren have it, your great-great-grandchildren have it up to the third, fourth, fifth, seventh generation. Give Glory to God that darkness no longer has anything to do with you, with your children, with the generation that follows you. Yours is a generation of light! It is light.

In your genealogy up to that moment in the branch that came there was darkness but "boom!" a great ray of light is born in your family tree; fruit sprouting from that tree. Life is born. Forever, forever until the Lord returns in Glory. A vine of life sprouts from that moment on the family tree. Glory to God. Glory to God forever. He says that we came out of darkness into his marvelous light and the power of Satan to God.

My brothers, no one was more clear than Jesus in his earthly ministry to emphasize that we are… this is spiritual warfare. That is spiritual warfare. He said it when the disciples approached Jesus after going out through all their neighborhoods as the Lord has called us to do declaring Wow! Now Jesus we saw dumb and deaf, testifying greatness. We saw the lame rise up and dance in adoration to You. We saw the dead resurrect, we saw demons jump out of bodies and set them free.

I tell them: 'You know? In those moments I saw the devil, I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven. There is authority. In that story of yours, it's more than a story, it's more than just a story. That story of yours is nothing short of exalting the name of Jesus Christ. That story of yours is an atomic bomb that Satan doesn't want shared, he just wants it to stop. That is war. For all the word is so, it is said so. Paul himself in Ephesians Chapter 6 adds to us, warns us.

you know? Our fight is not against our neighbor, the one who opposes you in Villa Victoria or in Ramsey Park. Our fight is not against your boss at work, our fight is not against your husband, your friend or your children. Our fight is against powers and principalities and tells us: “Stand firm. Keep firm. hold on. Arm yourself with the armor of God". Make sure that you are armed with truth, with justice. That you are, that you have the sword of faith in your hand. Make sure that you are clothed.

In the First Letter of John, he makes it very clear what Jesus came for. I am going to tell you why Jesus came. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. So clear. First John, Chapter 3. He came to destroy the works of the devil. My brothers, it's worth waiting. Through this ministry we are trying to destroy all the works of the devil. In the future, try to clothe these young people and convert them to a future that resembles the future that the Lord wants for them.

Same Berk, same Alpha. But you know what? I believe that the Lord, aren't you tired, my brother, of cleaning the cobweb? It's time to look for the spider, right? It's time to look for that spider. It's time to step on the spider! It's time to step on it. One of these days we will see him chained and thrown into the lake of fire. But that day will only come through a church clothed in the power of the Holy Spirit. And, my brothers, there is no choice. This is the reason why our Pastor has stopped at the Book of Acts.

Why so many weeks in the Book of Acts? Because the Lord awakens in our Pastor his Apostolic call and the call of this church and the call of the church of Jesus Christ in this era, in these days, it is necessary to go back to the manual and see how the Holy Spirit moved in the church. How these men sought the filling of the Holy Spirit, how were their works supported by the Holy Spirit; how is it that the Word is born with the power and authority of the Holy Spirit.

My brother, there is a reason why you have made it so difficult for us to enter Villa Victoria. That would be the easiest thing in the world. They are Latinos, they are our neighbors. Why is this church after 20 years a frontier for us? I'll tell you why. I tell you why. I lived in Villa Victoria. I had an apartment in Villa Victoria, I also tell you as a witness there: there are structures that do not respect anything and nobody except the blood of Jesus Christ. There are structures in that place that do not respect anything but a people clothed in the power of the Holy Spirit.

No matter how well you testify, it will be by testimony of the power of God, that people will come to know the Lord. The Apostle Paul wrote of such a community. When Paul testified, he preached in Corinthians, don't you think there were devilish structures there? This is Corinthians, my brothers. He was not going to come up with three dots and a poem and believe that these people given to prostitution and given to greed and given to commercialism, commercialism, given to Satan on so many levels at the moment were going to give themselves to the Lord.

What's more, the Lord had to appear to Paul in a dream and say, 'Look, don't give up here,' He told Paul. 'Don't give up here. I have many people here. Keep preaching here. You are having more effect than you think'. Has it happened to you like this? Have you thought that maybe you are preaching to the walls? What is not having an effect? This happened to Pablo. The Lord Himself had to reveal Himself to him and tell him 'My brother, stay faithful. Preach the Word of the Lord. I'm with you'.

And Pablo writes to him. 'Neither my word nor my preaching' –First Corinthians Chapter 2, Verse 4- 'was with persuasive words of human wisdom but with demonstration of the Spirit and of power because your Faith is not founded on the wisdom of men but on the power of God'. In most cases we have come to the Lord through a time of crisis. I don't know if that was the case with you. In most cases we come to the Lord with problems that at the moment we need Him to fix and fast.

And at that moment what we need is a demonstration of the power of God. And that becomes more important when we think about the third priority of Jesus. He says, also now this is Chapter 26 verse 18, going back to that verse, He says to Paul: "That they may receive by faith that it is in my forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified." sins. That nineteenth-century word, at least.

A totally declassified and unfashionable word. Especially in the western world, especially in the United States and in Europe. It is not customary to talk about sin. Even in churches using that word "sin" so loud! TRUE? So ugly! Even that word. That word is ugly: sin. There are reasons why it is ugly. A piece of advice: do not underestimate, my brothers. Don't underestimate the burden of sin on a life. Don't underestimate the effect of living under a stain of sin or the joy of receiving the news that we don't have to live like this; that there is a solution, that we can be free.

Sin. This is the point. This is the white. Brethren, aim your spirit rifles there. Sin. The border between light and truth. Sin. What gives Satan the authority to do what he wants to do with our society, with our institutions, with our children, with our youth. Sin. And what a thing that the only solution to this problem of sin is in faith in Jesus Christ. It is in the blood of Jesus Christ. When one comes to recognize that, how easy things get!

An intervention on the part of the Lord and for the moment one transfers the darkness to the light. At the moment Satan loses his authority because the Word declares that the act and decree that Satan had against you, says the Word that "was nailed to the Cross of Calvary and no longer has authority over you." He can no longer hold it against you even if it was this morning or thirty years ago, it was engraved on the Cross and it loses its authority. And if that were not enough, and that is the beating heart of God, that loved one, that soul that you see lost, the Lord sees it and what He sees is a son, a daughter for whom He has prepared an inheritance .

Knows? The Lord is crazy for handing him over as the father of the prodigal son. He is crazy for giving these boys the inheritance that He has kept for them since before the world was born. You can now imagine this world as Jesus sees it. An army, a whole generation of young people rising up knowing their inheritance in the Lord and growing under the Grace of Jesus Christ. Can you imagine that? Your family living His inheritance, the inheritance that the Lord gave you from before you were born, from before the world was born, your family sharing that inheritance.

Sitting at the table with the Lord. Sharing His Glory. My God! How terrifying it would be! The Lord longs for this church to rise up, for the church of Jesus Christ… Because you know what? If you are hearing on the Internet what distinguishes an effective church from a not so effective church in Peru, in Venezuela, in Brazil, in Guatemala, in the Dominican Republic, in Ecuador, in Colombia, in Puerto Rico, in Orlando, in England, in Germany, at the North Pole; What distinguishes an effective church and a church that exists but isn't making a dent in its culture is a church that can address the enemy of sin all around it and plant the banner of Jesus Christ in a tangible way.

And see this generation convert to Christ. Convert to Christ. Make a decision that now my life belongs to Christ. And if you make that decision, your life will change, the lives of your relatives will change, the lives of your children will never be the same, the life of your neighborhood will not be the same. And throughout, do you know what you have done because you have come to the Lord and are faithful to him? You have changed the culture. Don't tell me that culture can't change. I'm looking at a changed culture. I'm looking at one piece of evidence after another, one testimony after another.

I am seeing witnesses who doubt that a culture cannot change, it does not know you and it does not know what God has done in you. My Goodness! What is a church if not a culture changed into the image of Christ? Before we were not a people but now we are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people chosen by God to announce the virtues of him who brought us out of darkness into his admirable light.

Church of Jesus Christ let's get up and stand up. I ask that the musicians accompany me at this time. oh god! I thank you Lord. Pray with me, my brothers. Lord, we did not expect, perhaps, many of us did not expect to find ourselves here in this city, in this church, let's say perhaps, in this building, at this time in our lives. It was another path that we had, it was something else, it was another destination, it was another journey. Father we did not know what we were doing, we did not know how we lived, we had no idea what light was, what darkness was, what life was, what truth was. We were dead, all that was unknown.

Lord, we are reminded of that and we thank you for meeting us on the way. We thank you, Lord, for revealing yourself to us. We thank you, Lord. You are a good God. We thank you Jesus. Thank you my Jesus for that day. Thank you Jesus for that long night. Thank you dear God that you had mercy. Thank you Jesus! Thank you, Lord God that we have something to share, that we've seen your Glory, that we've seen the Revelation of Your presence, that we know who You are because You in your Grace and in your Mercy you reveal Your beauty .

The beauty of Your one and only living Son of the most I've got. We rebelled against you Jesus because we didn't know what we were doing. We didn't know who You were, we didn't know how beautiful You were but You are a God of Mercy. You are a God of Love. You are a God who's good. You've made us along the way. You have Mercy on us Jesus and you flooded us with Your lights. You flooded us with Your light. You flooded us with Your truth, rescued us from our path. You steered us on the right track.

You made us children of light and we will live, we will live, we will live grateful Lord Jesus. We will live grateful. Father, a life can pass like the flower that withers. Lord, the grass that withers. But we can live an eternity grateful for You Now, Father, clothe us with power, clothe us with power. Lord, every soul here, like an arrow in Your saddlebag. Each soul here like an arrow ready to be sent to where You have marked the target that You have for each life, each man, each woman, each son, each daughter even from the lips of babies and those who are suckling. From there, Lord, come out prophetic word.

God is saying that we may not know what hits them, that He may not know what hits them, Jesus. A mighty army prepared as a bride for You, Jesus. Prepared as a bride for You, Master, that you would see pride in it, Jesus. That you may use us as You see fit for the Glory of your Holy name. Do it, Master.

I want you to do this. First, I take this moment, if there is someone here who has not said: "Lord, I want you in my life and I receive you". Perhaps you did but you are not sure, but you do not remember. If you say: 'Samuel I I don't have a story like you say. I don't remember having this encounter that you describe. But I want it. I want what you just shared". If that's you, I invite you to raise your hand high. If that's you, Glory to God.

If you want to receive Christ in a public way, which is what the Lord wants you to do with yourself, I invite you now in the name of Jesus. Amen. If you have raised your hand for that purpose, I invite you to come to the altar and publicly receive the Lord as your Savior. We will pray for you and from now on, from this moment on your life will not be the same. Glory God. Glory God. Glory God. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Amen. Glory to God. Anyone else before praying for this precious sister? Let's give a round of applause to the Lord. Let us pray for you, my sister. Father, Thank you for this beautiful sister. I declare Your cover over his life. I declare Heaven open above her, I declare a torn veil, I declare access to Your Throne, I declare Your truths open before her. I declare this body that she brings to contribute is the Temple of the Holy Spirit and You dwell in her. We bless her, we cover her, Lord. Cover it with the blood of the lamb.

We declare, Lord, the power of Satan canceled in your life and in the life around you. Father, the lamp that You light in her heart this afternoon, You will have enough oil, Lord, for that lamp to continue burning until she delivers it to You in Glory. You are her healer, You have compassion on her and you are her healer. Your healer. In the name of Jesus. Amen. The other brothers, before we say goodbye, we have an assignment for them.

Close your eyes for a moment. Just because I want you to focus now. I don't know where this person is but there is someone in your life that you love who is still on the other side of the border and the Lord has given you authority. Brethren, you are the prime evangelist assigned for that life. I don't know if it's your brother, your sister, your mother, your husband, your colleague at work, your neighbor. I don't know where this person is. I want you to focus on a person who has resisted the light of Jesus Christ but you are there.

I know who I am praying for. I know who I am praying for. I hope they watch it. I know who I am praying for. Take a moment and intercede. Intercede. You are a witness. There is authority in your heart. Intercede for that life. Raise it, name them, name them, name them before this Altar. Place that name here. Give them to the Lord. Ask for wisdom, ask for anointing, ask for anointing, ask for anointing. Ask for the Word. The authority of Jesus is over you, the authority of Jesus is in you, over you.

You have what they need and the Lord has planted it in you. Name them before the Lord, name them, give them over to the Lord. Holy Spirit pursue them, Holy Spirit go to meet them, Holy Spirit go where they are, go to their bed. Make life impossible for them, Master, until the day they surrender to you. Lord, I bring you my loved ones, Master. I bring you what I love most, Master. I ask that Your light be shed and that Your promises be fulfilled.

You and your house. You and your house. You and your house. You and your house. You and your house says the Lord. You and your house says the Lord. You and your house says the Lord. But I and my house will serve the Lord. I and my house will serve the Lord. Lord, You promised. Father we bring it before You We stand because it is your promise. We believe you, Lord. So many things, so many promises that You have fulfilled, Lord. Do this, sir.

Lord God! Bring them to peace, bring them to victory, bring them to life, bring them to your presence, Jesus. Bring them to your Glory, bring them. Bring them on, trails. Bring them, Jesus. You love them. Master, the same way you met me. In the same way that you found yourself on my way, in the same way that you enlightened me. In the same way. enlighten them. Bring them to You, Lord.